Category Archives: Victorian politics

Victorian Liberals director resigns after messages mocking the party’s women’s council revealed

Posted on by

Stuart Smith resigned on Thursday morning and apologised for WhatsApp messages contained in the Liberal party headquarters staff group chat

The director of the Victorian Liberals, Stuart Smith, has resigned after leaked messages were published in which he ridiculed the party’s women’s council and upper house MP Bev McArthur.

Smith resigned on Thursday morning and apologised for the WhatsApp messages, contained in the Liberal party headquarters staff group chat, which were published by the Australian on Wednesday night.

Continue reading...

Victorian Labor targets affluent Melbourne suburbs for rezoning to allow 16-storey apartment towers

Posted on by

Under the plan, the state government will seize planning controls for the designated areas – near train and tram stops – from local councils

Affluent Melbourne suburbs such as Hampton, Hawthorn and Kew could be rezoned to allow apartment towers of up to 16 storeys, according to new draft maps released by the Victorian government.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, and the planning minister, Sonya Kilkenny, will on Wednesday release the maps showing proposed heights and boundaries for 25 of the government’s 50 activity centres, which were first announced in October 2024.

Continue reading...

Herald Sun failed to seek response from Victorian MP Sam Groth and wife before article that invaded privacy, court documents claim

Posted on by

Groth and wife Brittany are suing a News Corp paper for defamation and breach of privacy over incorrect claims of inappropriate relationship

The Herald Sun failed to seek a response from Brittany Groth, the wife of Sam Groth, the Victorian Liberals deputy leader and former tennis star, before wrongly outing her as a victim of child sexual assault who was preyed upon by her now-husband when he was her coach, the couple allege in federal court documents.

The Herald and Weekly Times, along with reporter Stephen Drill, who wrote the articles, and his editor Sam Weir, are being sued in the federal court by Brittany Groth, in the first test of a new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy, and by Sam Groth for defamation.

Continue reading...

Neo-Nazis have occupied the steps of Victoria’s parliament twice in two years. Are protest laws to blame?

Posted on by

Calls for tougher ‘move-on’ laws overlook the fact that police already have considerable powers in Victoria

As neo-Nazis occupied the steps of Victoria’s parliament for the second time in as many years, many are asking the question: how has this happened again – and what can be done to prevent it?

On Sunday, neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell, the leader of the National Socialist Network (NSN), mounted the steps of the building, stood behind a podium draped with an Australian flag and delivered what can only be described as the keynote speech at the city’s March for Australia rally. Neo-Nazis were also involved in rallies in other states, although statements on the March for Australia Facebook page distanced the events from white supremacists.

Continue reading...

Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell arrested outside Melbourne court over alleged attack on Indigenous protest site

Posted on by

Victoria police confirm arrest hours after the neo-Nazi confronted Victorian premier Jacinta Allan at a press conference

Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell has been arrested outside a Melbourne court over an alleged attack on Camp Sovereignty, a sacred Aboriginal burial ground in Kings Domain and longstanding protest site on Sunday.

Victoria police have confirmed detectives from the Melbourne crime investigation unit arrested Sewell, 32, and two associates – a 23-year-old man from Mooroolbark and a 20-year-old man from Ardeer – outside Melbourne’s magistrates court about 3.20pm on Tuesday.

Continue reading...

Victorian Liberal members to push for regulated cannabis market at state council

Posted on by

Proposal to treat cannabis similarly to alcohol among 62 policy motions on draft agenda, alongside increased parental leave and scrapping net zero

Rank-and-file Victorian Liberal party members will use this month’s state council meeting to push for a regulated cannabis market for adult use, overhaul heritage and planning laws to tackle the housing crisis and introduce a full year of parental leave with a “daddy quota”.

The motions are among 62 on the draft agenda for the Victorian Liberal state council – the party’s annual general meeting – on 12-13 September. Other motions include proposals to scrap net zero targets, renters’ rights reforms and diversity quotas.

Continue reading...

Victoria’s urgent childcare review recommendations unveiled: major reforms but no ‘silver bullet’ to stop ‘dangerous individuals’

Posted on by

Allan government commits to accepting all 22 recommendations, with several also directed at federal government

Major reforms to working with children checks, a new database and regulator, more unannounced visits to childcare centres and an urgent rethink of how the entire early childhood education system is funded have been recommended as part of Victoria’s urgent review into the childcare sector.

The review, written by former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and senior bureaucrat Pam White, was released in full by the state government on Wednesday.

Continue reading...

Cost of Victoria’s renewable energy transmission plan projected to double

Posted on by

Higher energy bills to cover the increased transmission costs could be offset by more renewable energy in the grid, state government says

One of Australia’s largest renewable energy transmission projects has expanded zones for solar, battery and wind developments with the cost of connection to almost double.

The latest version of Victoria’s 2025 Transmission Plan, released by state government agency VicGrid on Sunday, revealed a 200,000-hectare increase in the area available to developers.

Continue reading...

‘Nazis don’t belong in this country’: Victorian premier scathing over masked march by ‘goons’ in Melbourne CBD

Posted on by

Man allegedly assaulted after confronting group of about 100 people on march to Flagstaff Gardens early on Saturday

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has condemned “goons” who took part in a neo-Nazi march through the streets of Melbourne in the early hours of Saturday morning.

About 100 people dressed in black with face coverings marched through the Melbourne CBD, including down Bourke Street, police said in a statement.

Continue reading...

Palestinian statehood vote at Victorian Labor conference heaps more pressure on PM

Posted on by

Labor Friends of Palestine’s motion also called on federal government to extend sanctions to all members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet

Victorian Labor members have voted to immediately recognise Palestine, heaping further pressure on the Albanese government to join Canada, France and the UK in their push for a sovereign state.

Rank and file members at Labor’s state conference on Saturday also carried an urgent resolution to review the Aukus submarine deal. However, the wording of the motion was watered down before the vote.

Continue reading...

Victorians could soon have the right to work from home two days a week under Australian-first laws

Posted on by

Premier Jacinta Allan to announce proposal that if legislated would make Victoria the first state to enshrine in law the right to work remotely

Victorians could soon have a legal right to work from home two days a week, under proposed Australian-first laws to be introduced to parliament by the state Labor government in 2026.

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, will use Labor’s state conference on Saturday to announce the proposal, which, if passed by parliament, would make the state the first in the country to legislate the right to work remotely.

Continue reading...

Victorians could soon have the right to work from home two days a week under Australian-first laws

Posted on by

Premier Jacinta Allan to announce proposal that if legislated would make Victoria the first state to enshrine in law the right to work remotely

Victorians could soon have a legal right to work from home two days a week, under proposed Australian-first laws to be introduced to parliament by the state Labor government in 2026.

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, will use Labor’s state conference on Saturday to announce the proposal, which, if passed by parliament, would make the state the first in the country to legislate the right to work remotely.

Continue reading...

On issues from Aukus to recognising Palestine, Victorian Labor’s base is determined to be heard

Posted on by

At the party’s state conference this weekend, members and unions will have their say. The question then becomes whether governments – federal and state – will listen

Scrap Aukus. Recognise Palestine. Save public housing. Overhaul childcare. On paper, the urgency resolutions up for debate at Victorian Labor’s state conference this weekend lay out a roadmap for progressive, nation-shaping reform.

But how much sway do grassroots members and unions really have on the increasingly cautious federal and state Labor governments?

Continue reading...

Victorian Labor party members to push for ‘immediate’ federal recognition of a Palestinian state

Posted on by

Exclusive: Labor Friends of Palestine to move three ‘urgency resolutions’ at weekend conference, but PM maintains no immediate plans for the move

Victorian Labor members will use this weekend’s state conference to demand the federal government “immediately” recognise a Palestinian state and impose sanctions on Israel – in what will be their strongest push to date on the issue.

It comes after Anthony Albanese on Sunday described civilian deaths in Gaza as “indefensible” but reiterated he had no immediate plans to recognise a Palestinian state and insisted further steps were needed to reach a two-state solution.

Continue reading...

Sunday school teacher jailed for sexually abusing nine children was protected by church leader, Victorian cult inquiry hears

Posted on by

Former Geelong Revival Centre members tell inquiry abuse went unreported because group believed its authority was ‘higher than the law of the land’

A Sunday school teacher who was jailed for sexually abusing nine children was protected by the leader of his fundamentalist church, after parents reported the abuse to him instead of police, a Victorian parliamentary inquiry has heard.

Catherine and Ryan Carey, former members of the Geelong Revival Centre (GRC), gave evidence at the first hearing of the parliamentary inquiry into the practices of cults and organised fringe groups on Wednesday.

Continue reading...

Firefighters warned of ‘dangers of partisan politics’ after truck displays Liberal corflutes at Melbourne protest

Posted on by

Country Fire Authority says it ‘must always remain apolitical’ amid fallout over rally that also featured offensive slogans on trucks

Victoria’s Country Fire Authority has issued a warning to its senior leadership about the “dangers of partisan politics” and stressed it should remain “apolitical” after Liberal party-branded corflutes were attached to a fire truck at a rally in Melbourne’s western suburbs at the weekend.

A truck from the CFA Inverleigh brigade displayed Liberal party corflutes during a rally in Werribee on Sunday, with a photo of the vehicle shared on social media by the party’s South West Metro branch.

Continue reading...

‘Disgusting’ slogan apparently directed at Victorian premier seen at rally attended by Brad Battin and union boss

Posted on by

‘Ditch the bitch’ was emblazoned on a fire truck at a rally against the state’s new emergency services levy

The Victorian opposition leader, Brad Battin, and firefighters union boss, Peter Marshall, have sparked backlash after attending a rally in Melbourne’s west where the slogan “ditch the bitch” was emblazoned on a fire truck.

The phrase, apparently directed at the premier, Jacinta Allan, echoes the infamous “ditch the witch” poster that Tony Abbott stood in front of during a 2011 rally, which was widely condemned at the time as sexist and misogynistic towards the then prime minister Julia Gillard.

Continue reading...

PM condemns ‘shocking acts’ after suspicious fire at Melbourne synagogue with 20 people inside

Posted on by

Police allege a man entered the grounds at about 8pm on Friday and poured a flammable liquid on the front door

Anthony Albanese has pledged federal support for Victorian authorities after police reported a suspicious fire was lit at a synagogue in East Melbourne on Friday night.

Victoria police alleged an unknown man entered the grounds of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street at about 8pm on Friday and poured a flammable liquid on the front door of the building and set it on fire.

Continue reading...

Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly to be made permanent and granted decision-making powers under treaty bill

Posted on by

Body will be able to advise ministers on issues directly affecting Aboriginal people in the state

Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly will manage the rollout of community infrastructure grants and have a direct line to ministers and the power to make appointments to government boards under legislation to be introduced to parliament this year.

As first reported by Guardian Australia this week, the Victorian government and the First Peoples’ Assembly have confirmed that the statewide treaty bill will establish the assembly as a representative body to provide advice to government.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email

Continue reading...

Don’t believe the hype: Victorian government deserves credit for not buckling to aggressive pro-gas campaign

Posted on by

Australia’s most gas-reliant state takes a significant step to move households and businesses away from fossil fuels and cut energy bills

It didn’t go as far as previously flagged, but don’t believe the negative hype about Victoria’s plan to start weaning off gas: it is a significant step that will help drive households and businesses away from fossil fuels and cut energy bills.

The Allan Labor government announced that gas heating and hot water systems will be banned in all new homes and nearly all new commercial buildings, including schools and hospitals, from 1 January 2027. They will not be connected to the state’s gas network and will run on electric systems. New agricultural and manufacturing buildings, some of which use gas for high-temperature industrial processes, are excluded.

Though still marketed as “natural”, and sometimes even as “clean”, gas is actually methane – a highly potent fossil fuel. It releases plenty of greenhouse gas when burned. The electricity grid is moving from being dominated by coal-fired power to renewable energy. Electric appliances are better for the planet and the people who live on it. It is a necessary part of getting to net zero emissions.

Gas is expensive. Analysis has found electrification of appliances should save households nearly $1,000 a year on their energy bills. There are upfront costs in getting new systems, but the Victorian policy is not forcing people to change over until their existing system is dead, and offers rebates to help with the change.

Victoria is running out of gas. For decades, it has relied on reservoirs in Bass Strait, but they are running low, and all potential new sources are expensive. The state government wants to install a 20-year floating liquified natural gas (LNG) import terminal near Geelong to make sure demand is met. It sounds ridiculous, but may be the least bad option available – after the most obvious one: reducing gas use as much as possible so that it is available for the few industrial processes that do not yet have viable alternatives.

Continue reading...